US95 Idaho Range Anxiety Model Y

[Neanor]

I am planning a trip to my hometown. I need help with a 244 mile leg of my 600 mile trip comng up in May, from Ontario Oregon Supercharger to Lewiston Idaho On US95. Has anyone made this trip? The entire trip is Ogden to Lewiston.

I’ve driven this US95 many times in my ice Prius, but am excited, terrified and thrilled to accomplish with my new Tesla MYLR. So many rolling hill, elevation changes and the massive Whitebird grade along this route. I was relieved to find an RV park in Riggins, 1.5hr nema 14-50 charge for $5 if that still stands. Even plan on tipping at that price. Still, more questions.

What might the Wh consumption estimate be Ontario to Riggins? And Riggins to Lewiston? Do I figure 450Wh and 500Wh respectively, or could it be better? I will be driving very conservatively, 250Wh/mi if only it was all flat, lol. I would love to see actual Wh checkins on a map, or I will add to the Plugshare Riggins Rv park checkin my actual stats.

Planning a trip

 

[roblab]

I usually check the elevation change from start to final. The hills in the middle are somewhat tempered by the fact that the car regenerates power on the downhill which it can then use on the uphill, so that numerous small rises and dips end up costing you little.

I drive to my brother's house in Nevada. The elevation change is around 4000 feet, total, although the elevation at the pass is near 8000 feet. Well, I regain a lot of that when I drop down into Reno, and on return, that 4000 feet uphill is completely negated by the 8000-foot drop with regen on my return run. Basically, ups and downs cancel out. Figure total elevation change and add some for plain old driving fast, and keep your battery comfortably charged.

 

[jmaddr]

May the wind be with you.

 

[Neanor]

Limited power Regenerating was a pain with my Prius, while going up the grades i wanted the battery to deplete in anticipation of the long downhill, but it didn’t. Kept charged, and one mile down the six miles remaining, the Prius battery was full and couldn’t take anymore.

It will help immensely to recoup lots of this energy. Rough elevations are Ontario( 2100ft) > about 4000ft > 2500ft > 3800ft > 1821ft at Riggins (get some charge here) > 1545ft > 4245ft (2700ft rise in 7 miles ~7% grade) > 3400ft > 4200ft > 900ft > 1500ft arrived. Sorry just thinking out loud.

 

[GregW]

Should be no problem, IF you are willing to slow to maybe 55mph towards the last 50 miles or so. The Energy graph is pretty accurate after 30 minutes or so of driving. Check it often, it will tell you what % charge you will arrive with.

 

[OCJeff]

I would also check ABRP as well, to see what it estimates, and maybe alternative charging locations as well.

I was curious so I plugged it in. I said I was leaving with 80% battery and it told be to charge up to 97% and then I would arrive with 10%...

 

[Rice&Curry]

As a backup plan please identify any RV park on route for any emergency charging stop. Please carry necessary adapter for connecting RV electric hookups ( 240v-30/50 amp charging outlets available at most RV parks).

 

[Neanor]

Thanks all, good points. Speed limit most of the way, and 55 for the last 50 miles works. I brought up ABRP awesome, sure seems to have the calcs worked out well. Yes, lol, I bought 240 30&50 amp adapters back when I ordered in Sept. I’m feeling much more informed, leaving less to chance.

 

[bruce4000]

Thanks all, good points. Speed limit most of the way, and 55 for the last 50 miles works. I brought up ABRP awesome, sure seems to have the calcs worked out well. Yes, lol, I bought 240 30&50 amp adapters back when I ordered in Sept. I’m feeling much more informed, leaving less to chance.

In ABR, you can enter the temperature and road conditions like rain, and head wind etc. I like to play with that to get a better feel for how close to the edge you are or not.

 

[nate704]

This is what you seek!

EcoFlow Delta Pro

 

[animorph]

ABRP is great for planning. I trust it, though headwinds and weather are always tough calls.

Keep an eye on your charge remaining at destination as you are driving. when it goes below 10% I slow down about 3 MPH (more if necessary) to keep it steady at 10%.

You gain a lot of extra range by slowing down, even a little. The other thing you can do is follow a semi at a distance using AP. That also gives a significant range bump.

In a pinch you can start using up your 10% margin. That's what it's there for.

If you are OK with the limited speed then go ahead and try the trip. You will make it, Worst case is that it takes longer than planned.

 

[SageBrush]

Keep an eye on your charge remaining at destination as you are driving. when it goes below 10% I slow down about 3 MPH (more if necessary) to keep it steady at 10%.

Better to start slowing down if the arrival SoC is dropping at the beginning or middle of a trip. If you wait to slow down until the arrival SoC has dropped to 10% you are playing catch-up.
Second, it is better (read: safer, and less stress) to have extra SoC to spend towards the end of the trip than the reverse.

My cautious nature approach:
Start the leg at 65 mph. If the arrival SoC is rising then increase speed if desired.
If the arrival SoC is dropping then reduce speed in ~ 3 mph increments until the arrival SoC stabilizes.
If the SoC is steady and estimated at 15% upon arrival and I've driven at least 1/2 the distance, increase speed modestly if desired and decide again after another 15 minutes. I end up arriving with a SoC of around 10%, never lower than 5%

 

[mackgriggs]

Why not go through baker city/lagrande? ABRP says it only adds 14 minutes (with 12 of those minutes being at a supercharger charging to 77%). If you are worried, you could always charge to like 90% in baker city. It also doesn't give you the "max 55mph" warning for that route.

 

[Neanor]

Why not go through baker city/lagrande? ABRP says it only adds 14 minutes (with 12 of those minutes being at a supercharger charging to 77%). If you are worried, you could always charge to like 90% in baker city. It also doesn't give you the "max 55mph" warning for that route.

Matter of preference. Living in Utah, and driving to my hometown of Lewiston several times per year, we loved the scenic hwy55, and later us95 for ease of travel and fewer delays due to truck traffic. So i know us95 and like it better than the times (few as they be) of taking the Oregon route. Once i found the rv park in Riggins, it made it a joy to anticipate this upcoming trip. N

Now just a week away to start this trip, I’m excited.

 

[DanDi58]

Also check your consumption using the Energy graph as you go along. And the Trip tab (if you are using navigation) gives a great view of estimated arrival SOC.

 

[TomServo]

As a BACK UP I’d do a deep dive in PLUG SHARE and look for ANY LEVEL 2 locations along your route you could us as an emergency charging stop if needed. I look at the comments to make sure the site was current and available then loaded the address in my Nav. That way in an emergency (when I’m freaking out) I can just press a button and get routed to that “Lilly Pad”.

 

[SageBrush]

As a BACK UP I’d do a deep dive in PLUG SHARE and look for ANY LEVEL 2 locations along your route you could us as an emergency charging stop if needed. I look at the comments to make sure the site was current and available then loaded the address in my Nav. That way in an emergency (when I’m freaking out) I can just press a button and get routed to that “Lilly Pad”.

Absolutely.

Some people want a plan 'B.'
I shoot for having plans 'A' - 'D' because my long distance trips are rural and the cost/aggravation involved with running out of battery are well worth a little time and planning to avoid. Thankfully, it is pretty easy to avoid dead battery situations, particularly with the suite of tools we have in the Tesla, along with Plugshare.

 

[wws]

Thanks all, good points. Speed limit most of the way, and 55 for the last 50 miles works. I brought up ABRP awesome, sure seems to have the calcs worked out well. Yes, lol, I bought 240 30&50 amp adapters back when I ordered in Sept. I’m feeling much more informed, leaving less to chance.

Note that RV park "30 amp" receptacles are TT-30 ("travel trailer" 30 amp, 120 Volt). Tesla doesn't sell TT-30 adapters for the mobile connector, but evseadapters.com does.